NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Monday (4/17)

Man, the NBA Playoffs are special! The first few days have been fantastic, and I can’t wait to watch these series gain momentum the deeper we get into them. This slate features my favorite series of the opening round because the Warriors-Kings matchup should be memorable. With that in mind, let’s look at the schedule and odds.

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Schedule and Odds

BKN at PHI (PHI -10) O/U: 213.5

GSW at SAC (GSW -1) O/U: 240

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Jordan Poole (ankle) Questionable
• Andre Iguodala (old) OUT
• Ben Simmons (knee/back) OUT

Core Plays

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $10,600 DraftKings, $11,400 FanDuel
Embiid is on a mission right now. The big man looks like he secured the MVP, and he’s looking for that next big trophy. What made Embiid so amazing during the regular season was his floor, scoring at least 33 DraftKings points in every game. That led to his elite 57-point average, which is right on par with his 58-point average against Atlanta in the regular season. That’s no surprise since the Hawks ranked 22nd in defensive efficiency and 26th in points allowed.

Domantas Sabonis (PF/C – SAC): $9,300 DraftKings, $9,700 FanDuel
Domas couldn’t make a shot in Game 1, but he still had 41 DK points. That shows just how special this big man can be, scoring at least 27 DK points in every game this season. He’s also got a 48-point average, which should be his floor for the remainder of this series. We say that because he averaged 21.3 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in three matchups with the Warriors in the regular season.

Cash Game Considerations

Stephen Curry (PG – GSW): $9,600 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
Chef Curry is the most dynamic shooter of all time, and it was incredible watching him knock down some absurd shots in Game 1. The former MVP finished that Game 1 with 41 DK points and had a 50-point average in the regular season. He also provided a 52-point average against the Kings in the regular season and should feast since Sacramento finished 26th in both points allowed and defensive efficiency.

De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $8,500 DraftKings, $9,400 FanDuel
Golden State is such a beautiful matchup for Fox. This speedster is known as the fastest player in the NBA, which is amazing since the Warriors play at the fastest pace in the league. That allowed Fox to finish with 53 DK points in Game 1, scoring at least 40 fantasy points in all three regular-season meetings with the Warriors. That should continue since Golden State allows the second-most fantasy points to opposing point guards while ranked 21st in points allowed.

GPP Targets

Andrew Wiggins (SF/PF – GSW): $5,900 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
We saw Wiggins return from a two-month absence in Game 1, and he looked pretty good aside from his three-point shooting. The talented wing had 31 DK points across 28 minutes in that return to action. He was a $7K player for most of the year, and we have to assume he’ll crack the 30-minute mark here. Facing Sacramento is sensational, too, with the Kings owning a 25th OPRK against opposing small forwards. Wig is averaging over 40 fantasy points per game in their four matchups this year!

Malik Monk (PG/SG – SAC): $5,100 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
The Warriors love to play small-ball, and that will force Monk into some monster minutes. That’s what we saw in Game 1, with Monk amassing 39 DK points across 29 minutes. It’s been a great matchup for Monk all year, maintaining a 36-point average against Golden State during the regular season. They need him out there to keep up with The Dubs, and he needs to be at least $6,000 in this expanded role.

Value Plays

Draymond Green (PF/C – GSW): $6,100 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
It’s hard to understand why Green is below $7,000 on both sites. This guy has always been a stud in the postseason, averaging over 40 DK points per game in his playoff career. That’s over 100 postseason games, but it’s far from shocking since he regularly plays 35-40 minutes a night. We saw him perform like that over the final month of the season, averaging 32 DK points per game across his final 20 outings.

PJ Tucker (PF/C – PHI): $4,000 DraftKings, $4,200 FanDuel
Tucker has been terrible for most of the season, but Philly will lean on him in the postseason. PJ is one of the most ferocious defenders in the NBA and dropped 29 DraftKings points in Game 1. He did that in a massive blowout, and we’re assuming he returns to the 35-minute role he regularly plays in the postseason. It’s a risky play, but rising Tucker makes it so much easier to squeeze in studs like Fox, Sabonis, Curry, and Embiid.

Advantageous Pricing

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $10,600 DraftKings, $11,400 FanDuel

De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $8,500 DraftKings, $9,400 FanDuel

Nic Claxton (C – BKN): $6,600 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel

Jordan Poole (PG/SG – GSW): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel

Trey Lyles (PF/C – SAC): $3,900 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel

Donte DiVincenzo (SG – GSW): $4,300 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel

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